Posts Tagged ‘vaginal dryness’

When Valentine’s Day approaches with ads featuring romance, flowers, and lingerie, it can be a difficult reminder for some women who’ve been treated for breast cancer. Treatments can sometimes have a big impact on libido and your ability to enjoy sex.

For this month’s column we wanted to address some important questions from readers. With the approval of flibanserin (brand name: Addyi), many questions have arisen concerning sexuality research, sexual desire, and cancer treatment. In addition, some women are asking about sexual desire after breast cancer treatment and possible time to resolution of symptoms.

We know that reclaiming your sexual self after a breast cancer diagnosis can be incredibly challenging. It doesn’t help that there are no approved drugs for lowered libido (sexual desire) in women, and while there are many treatments approved for vaginal dryness, none have been approved specifically for women who’ve had breast cancer. And many vaginal dryness treatments carry warnings and precautions for women who’ve …

“I’m really suffering here. How do I have that awkward conversation… you know… about dryness… with my doctor about getting help?”

I often hear this complaint from many of my brave patients who have sought help from numerous healthcare providers. Vaginal dryness in the midst of breast cancer treatment is a serious emergency, often made worse when no one is talking about it in the …

In Part 1 of this column, we talked about some of the factors healthcare providers look for to determine a diagnosis of Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder.

If you’re struggling with symptoms that suggest this diagnosis, it’s important to see a specialist to find out for sure and learn about treatments that may help. Your specialist will take detailed cancer and medical history to look at …